Grain free cat food offers many benefits to the health and well being of your pet. They are more digestible, helping your pet to avoid ingesting harmful filler materials that many commercial brands are loaded with. There is also little or no need to salt your food which can cause dental problems in pets and that is especially important if your pet spends time outdoors.
The first benefit of a grain free cat food is that they tend to be higher in protein than their non-grain counterparts. High protein diets are recommended for cats to help meet their dietary needs. While many brands offer a variety of high protein foods for your pet to choose from, few do it with the consistency, taste and nutritional value your pet needs. Without grains, these high protein diets can prove bland and overpowering to your pet. Feeding your cat a high protein diet helps deliver the correct balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your pet needs without loading him up on grains. Whether your cat enjoys dry food, wet food or likes a certain flavor, there are a variety of grain-free choices she is sure to enjoy.
Another great benefit of grain free cat food is that you know exactly what your cat needs at each stage of his life. A young cat needs high protein food to aid growth and development. A teething cat needs special treats to promote tooth parechy and to prevent him from clawing furniture. Senior cats need energy and the energy boost afforded by grains is not available without them. Even puppies and kittens benefit from the convenience of grain free cat food. The smaller pets often prefer the canned variety, while larger breed cats can tolerate the dry product.
Grain free cat food can be tailored to meet your pet’s specific needs at different times. During the springtime, a small hay fever kitten will need more moisture than a young cat with an allergy to grains. In the fall, cats are in need of protein and can benefit by dried fruits and dried pellets. During the winter months, meat diets help to provide the calories necessary to maintain energy levels. When he is a kitten, kittens should have access to high protein foods. As they get older, they can transition to a vegetarian diet.
You can find grain free cat food at your local pet store, but if you want the convenience of shopping online you can do so easily. Just type “grain free cat food” or “corn gluten meal” and you will find dozens of sites to choose from. Some sites allow you to compare various brands and packages with their prices and nutritional information. Others include reviews from owners of different cats to help you make the best choice for your feline. Many also offer coupons and discounts when you buy this type of cat food.
The main reason that grain free cat food has become popular is because many cat breeds are prone to diabetes, a disease that affects the pancreas. Carbohydrates are what your pet drinks, eats or drinks, so if your pet is diabetic he cannot tolerate the taste of grains. It is difficult to give your pet steady nourishment if his body does not tolerate grains well. This is why grains are not the only thing to avoid when trying to control diabetes in pets. The yeast and other fungi are also avoided because they are also potential allergens.
Other foods that you may want to avoid as well as grain-free cat food are artificial sweeteners, soy, eggs and other diary products. These are common allergens and can cause problems for your pet if he accidentally eats them. Even if your pet has no known allergies to these substances, they are still unnatural ingredients that you would not want him to be exposed to. Many pet foods are also nutritionally incomplete, which means they are either too old or too new and lack necessary nutrients your pet needs. This could lead to health problems that could ultimately prove fatal to your pet.
All of these things are important to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the best and healthiest cat diet for your furry friend. Many veterinarians recommend a vegetarian or vegan diet for cats, especially since most meat products are unhealthy. Some people have no problem with this and are fine feeding their cats meat, but others take a more holistic approach and believe that providing your feline with protein, calcium and other minerals and vitamins is as important as providing them with water. In any case, grains, artificial sweeteners and soy products should be avoided at all costs, especially if your cats have special health needs.